Warude

It’s hard to miss the gigantic yellow mural that reads “Japanese Bowls” across the front of  Warude in Crown Heights. While the actual restaurant is about the size of the walk-in closet we don’t have, the sign is assertive enough to make you turn off Nostrand Ave. to check out the second location of this counter-service spot. You’ll find rice bowls, Japanese curry, and ramen for under $20, and there’s a long, narrow bar out front if you need to eat, now. There are better and more affordable lunch options in the area, but if you have a hankering for that virtuous feeling that comes from chewing on brown rice, a salmon rice bowl at Warude can help.

photo credit: Willa Moore